Separated but still living in same house

I wonder if anyone can help me with this on here, before I try to navigate my way around the insanely complex benefits system myself...?

Myself and my partner have decided (quite some time ago) that we will be going our separate ways as soon as we are financially able to do so. We still live in the same house, only because neither of us can afford to move out & go elsewhere right now. We have been sleeping in different rooms for months.

Aside from the uncomfortable day-to-day living aspect of this, how does (or should) it affect our benefits?

We have two children. I'm on JSA, she is working 25hrs per week & gets the child benefit and working tax credits paid into her account. I currently get the housing benefit paid into my account.

We are currently still a couple as far as the various benefits agencies are concerned, but I'd much rather try to get everything separated now than have to do it later when it could cause more "friction"...

Can we make two completely separate claims for everything even though we are still living under the same roof?
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Comments

  • cattie
    cattie Posts: 8,841
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    If you want to be treated as single people then you need to demonstrate that you are not living as a couple still in some aspects of your lives.

    When couples live under the same roof it can be difficult to be considered separated by the benefits people as most couples still share their lives to some extent in such situations.

    It's not just about whether you share a bedroom or not. You need to show that you no longer do things together as a family, such as eating, shopping etc and have receipts & such to show you completely fend for yourself & buy your own food & cook it, pay equal shares for such things as electricity, gas & other such things.
    The bigger the bargain, the better I feel.

    I should mention that there's only one of me, don't confuse me with others of the same name.
  • Looking at it that way I guess it's best to just leave things be for the time being and carry on as we are. It's not practical to live completely separate lives as far as food shopping, eating etc are concerned. Especially as we have two young children.

    Thanks for helping see that side of it...
  • zappster1966
    zappster1966 Posts: 591 Forumite
    Problem is you're claiming JSA (contributory I assume).

    Once that runs out, after 6 months, you'll be left with no benefit income. You won't be able to go onto JSA (income based) because she's in remunerative work. What happens then ?

    Wouldn't you be better biting the bullet now rather than waiting for your benefit to run out ?
  • Well that's one of the main reasons I asked this question in the first place. The problem is, neither of us are in any position to move out of the place we're in. Neither of our parents have the room even.

    I'm just about to start a small business of my own to try to get some income as I can't find a job. I've been told that if I work less than 16 hours per week, my JSA will still be paid (minus any money I make), which for now is fine. As you say though, once I reach the 6 month mark I'll get nothing.

    I guess the best option would be to call them and let them know the situation as it is & see what comes of it from there?
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    Well that's one of the main reasons I asked this question in the first place. The problem is, neither of us are in any position to move out of the place we're in. Neither of our parents have the room even.

    I'm just about to start a small business of my own to try to get some income as I can't find a job. I've been told that if I work less than 16 hours per week, my JSA will still be paid (minus any money I make), which for now is fine. As you say though, once I reach the 6 month mark I'll get nothing.

    I guess the best option would be to call them and let them know the situation as it is & see what comes of it from there?

    But if you're not working you could be claiming JSA and LHA/CTB for a flat. There doesn't seem to be any financial benefit for you to still be living in the family house, as far as I can see.
  • NASA_2
    NASA_2 Posts: 5,571 Forumite
    When does your 6 months run out?
  • SomeBozo
    SomeBozo Posts: 1,195 Forumite
    edited 22 June 2009 at 6:31PM
    Hello GettingStraight.

    You state :
    Myself and my partner have decided (quite some time ago) that we will be going our separate ways

    Yet just 4 weeks ago you posted this thread :

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=21716571

    which states :
    My other half's car
    and
    Firstly we don't have the cash
    and
    we probably wouldn't pay it if we did TBH.
    and
    We're reluctant to let it go for so little though
    and
    are not sure what else we can do with it
    and
    so we have to think about recovery costs back to our house if we don't sell it from where it is

    That, to me at least, is a awful lot of "we"s and joint decision making to think that you are still a couple. It was only 4 weeks ago.

    How long ago was :
    (quite some time ago)

    as it was only 4 weeks ago.

    I discovered all this with a simple search.

    Can you address my points?

    Bozo
  • Zara33
    Zara33 Posts: 5,441 Forumite
    Bozo your getting good at this :rotfl: ;)
    Hit the snitch button!
    member #1 of the official warning clique.
    :D:j:D
    Feel the love baby!
  • AsknAnswer
    AsknAnswer Posts: 465 Forumite
    Tax credits can be claimed as a lone parent when a couple seperates but are still residing within the same property; I had to do this with my ex as he point blankly refused to contribute towards anything and point blankly refused to move out. However, I was warned that I would need to be able to prove we were not LTAHAW if asked. I was asked, funnily enough over a year after I began claiming as a lone parent, and I was able to prove it so I didn't have a problem. BUT I could not claim CSA with him still residing there. HMRC and DWP take very different views on the situation.
  • bestpud
    bestpud Posts: 11,048 Forumite
    SomeBozo wrote: »
    Hello GettingStraight.

    You state :



    Yet just 4 weeks ago you posted this thread :

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=21716571

    which states :


    and

    and

    and

    and

    and


    That, to me at least, is a awful lot of "we"s and joint decision making to think that you are still a couple. It was only 4 weeks ago.

    How long ago was :



    as it was only 4 weeks ago.

    I discovered all this with a simple search.

    Can you address my points?

    Bozo

    I'm always a little suspicious of people who say they want to carry on living together after they split, as I think that situation would drive most people mad! I'm even more suspicious when they seem to have been struggling financially as a couple and want to claim benefits.

    However, in response to your point, I still sometimes say 'we' when talking about things me and my ex did, or owned together. I don't know about the OP but, after 23 years with my ex, it is natural to say 'we' and I have had to teach myself to say 'I'. I'm only just getting to grips with it after 5 months.

    Just a thought of course and I may be totally wrong...
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